Ball grid array (BGA) and land grid array (LGA) packages are becoming increasingly popular because of their low profiles and high densities. With a BGA package, for example, the rounded solder balls of the BGA are generally soldered directly to corresponding surface mount pads of a printed circuit board rather than to plated thru-holes which receive pins from, for example, a pin grid array IC package.
Sockets are used to allow particular IC packages to be interchanged without permanent connection to a circuit board. More recently, sockets for use with BGA and LGA packages have been developed to allow these packages to be non-permanently connected (e.g., for testing) to a circuit board. It is desirable that such sockets present a low-profile.
Mating connectors can also be used to provide semi-permanent connections between electrical components. For example, a connector can be soldered to a first electrical component and a mating connector can be soldered to modules intended for use with the first electrical component that are manufactured separately. The mating connectors can then provide convenient subsequent attachment of a chosen module to the first electrical component. It is desirable that such connectors present a low profile and provide high connection density.